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Congress Vice-President: Local authorities are crucial to Ukraine’s EU accession
Konstantinos Koukas made remarks before the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk
Council of Europe highlights children’s rights at Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 side event
The Council of Europe reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that children’s rights remain at the heart of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts during a high-level side at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 (URC 2026). The event “Protecting Children, Securing the Future: Children’s...
Congress Secretary General at Ukraine Recovery Conference: Local democracy is a prerequisite for resilience and recovery
“Ukraine’s decentralisation reform proved to be one of its greatest strategic assets during the full-scale invasion, allowing local leaders to safeguard utilities, protect communities, and...
Poland: Parliamentary Assembly monitors concerned at persisting politicisation of the highest judicial functions
Ending a three-day visit to Warsaw, the co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Poland, Christophe Brico (Monaco, EPP/CD) and Didier Marie (France, SOC), have reiterated their concern at the level of polarisation within the country. “Key...
Council of Europe Development Bank governing bodies meet in Warsaw
Carlo Monticelli re-elected as CEB governor for a new five-year term
Congress Secretary General at Council of Europe Bank: there is a strategic partnership between cities and the Bank
“The DNA of the Bank mirrors the core responsibilities of local and regional authorities in Europe. The areas where the Bank is most active – education, healthcare, housing, social infrastructure, and environmental protection – are precisely the sectors where local and regional authorities play a...
Venice Commission issues an urgent joint opinion on Poland
Concerns draft law on status of judges appointed or promoted 2018-25 and other related matters
Following challenges, Parliamentary Assembly approves the credentials of the Austrian and Polish parliamentary delegations
The Assembly has approved the credentials of both the Austrian and Polish parliamentary delegations, which were each separately challenged on procedural grounds on the opening day of the winter plenary session in Strasbourg. Each year in January, the Assembly approves the credentials of all its...
Money laundering and terrorist financing reports on Georgia, Montenegro, Poland and Slovakia
Follow-up reports issued by the Council of Europe’s MONEYVAL
Warsaw Human Rights Seminar: Protecting human rights and democracy in challenging times
On 17 November 2025 in Warsaw, Poland, the annual Human Rights Seminar gathered some 200 participants to discuss current challenges to human rights, with a focus on migration and asylum. It was also an occasion to mark the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (4 November)....
Poland: GRECO delegation urges continued efforts to prevent corruption and promote integrity
Action essential for restoring judicial independence and reinforcing government integrity
Council of Europe Congress: Poland should pursue decentralisation, strengthen financing of local and regional governments
In a monitoring report on the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, debated today, the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities called on Poland to continue its efforts toward decentralisation, strengthen the capacities of local and regional...
A just peace for Ukraine, freedom of assembly and expression, new Charter on youth participation, housing crisis and drugs in European cities: 49th Congress session
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will hold its 49th session from 28 to 30 October 2025 in Strasbourg, France. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, opened for signature on 15 October 1985, the session will be...
Warsaw conference focuses on ensuring ethical AI is placed at the service of society
“Artificial intelligence is often perceived as a threat, but it should be seen as something that complements humanity’s pursuit of excellence. Technology must serve humanity, not replace it. Europe’s future lies not in machines, but in people who use them wisely,” said PACE President Theodoros...
Council of Europe at the Warsaw Security Forum: “ensuring justice for Ukraine in focus”
Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge and the Secretary General’s Special Envoy on the situation of Children of Ukraine, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjord Gylfadóttir represented the Council of Europe at the 12th edition of the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland (29–30 September 2025). Opened by Polish Prime...
Presidential election in Poland ‘competitive and well managed’, but affected by ‘long-standing political polarisation’
According to the report presented today by Iulian Bulai (Romania, ALDE) in plenary session, the 2025 presidential election in Poland was “competitive, well managed, and gave voters a genuine choice”. The report emphasises that election day was calm and professional, and that the very high turnout...
One third of spending on European original films and series is made by global streamers
The European Audiovisual Observatory has just published a new report on investment in original European films and series made by the main media players in Europe. This new study reveals that total spending on European original works (excluding news and sports rights) amounted to EUR 25.1 billion...
Parliamentary Assembly committee condemns ‘unacceptable and intentional’ violation of Polish airspace
Statement by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), issued today: “Joining concerns expressed by the President of the Assembly, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of...
The 30th Council of Europe Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services (CDPPS) will be held in Kraków (Poland) on 24 and 25 September 2025
Directors of European prison and probation services from the 46 Council of Europe’s member states will meet in Kraków (Poland) on 24 and 25 September 2025 for the 30th edition of the annual Conference. The 30th Council of Europe Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services (CDPPS)...
Poland: GRECO evaluates progress in anti-corruption measures in central government, police and border guard
The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body – the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) – has published a new report assessing Poland’s progress in implementing its 2019 recommendations on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central government (top executive functions) and law...
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